More on the Hepatica germination: what ‘warm’ means?

All the available Hepatica seeds are now in stock: Hepatica category. The sold out forms have been archived and can be found using the Search tab.

I am very happy that this year I managed to collect more Hepatica americana seeds; last spring due to a rainy and cold spring there were just few seeds available. Hepatica americana #1, #2, the bicolor form and the ‘Spring Dawn’ are all delightful!
There is also a new H. acutiloba fragrant! Maybe few of the seedlings will inherit this trait.

 

Following an email from a client regarding the warm period mentioned on the Germination page, I need to make a clarification. It seems that ‘warm’ can be misunderstood. It is a term broadly used for all species which need to be sown in late spring/summer in order to germinate properly.

Those reading with attention on the germination page would have also noticed this: “It has been shown that the embryos will start growing rapidly at the end of summer when the day/night temperatures start to decline.”

So, actually nothing is happening until toward the end of the summer, when with the falling of temperatures the embryos start growing. For all living in the Northern Hemisphere, ‘warm’ simply means: keep the sowing pots outdoors, in a shaded place, and let them follow the natural variations in temperature until winter arrives (keep the pots out of heavy rains, this year seems to be crazy; a shaded spot along the house under eaves, under a patio table, underneath a large shrub…..).

The ‘warm’ period would constitute a problem only for those in the Southern Hemisphere, who currently experience winter.

Advice for those thinking of growing Hepatica for the first time:
Please consider starting with H. acutiloba- pastel mix or any other H. acutiloba.
They usually germinate in the first spring (if instructions are followed), the seedlings are vigorous and
prove to be quite adaptable, including in the garden (H. acutiloba pastel mix seedlings in the featured image).

Hepatica americana it is a bit more finicky, and some seeds will only germinate in the second year after sowing, regardless that they are moist packed and sown right away.

Please review the Checklist for growing Hepatica from seeds, before purchasing seeds with unrealistic expectations (they may not germinate in the first spring after sowing and it will take 3-4 years until producing the first flower).